by Patrick J. Paul On October 25, President Trump issued a memorandum directing Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao to launch an initiative to safely test and validate advanced operations for drones in partnership with state and local governments in select jurisdictions. The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program is intended to address the […]
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by Patrick J. Paul On September 21, 2017, in what is believed to be the first federal court ruling on the issue of local drone regulation, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts in Singer v. City of Newton, overturned a 2016 ordinance passed by the Newton, MA, City Council regulating pilotless aircraft […]
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by Michael C. Ford Keeping track of the ongoing administrative and judicial developments on the issue of Clean Water Act jurisdiction has become almost as complex as trying to make a jurisdictional determination itself. Here is a handy synopsis of the key dates and developments (as of this morning!) June 29, 2015. The Environmental Protection […]
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by Jeffrey Reeser On September 21, 2017, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”) issued a public version of its most recent classified annual report to Congress on covered transactions for CY 2015. CFIUS is the multi-agency governmental committee established to evaluate and clear foreign acquisitions of U.S. businesses based on national security grounds. […]
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by Timothy J. Sabo The United States has one of the most extensive natural gas pipeline networks in the world. This vast network enables the ongoing switch away from coal-fired generation and toward a renewables and natural gas-based electric system. And it has allowed cheap natural gas produced by fracking to be used throughout the […]
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By Denise Dragoo, Natural Resources Partner, Snell & Wilmer, LLP During the first six months of the new Administration, President Trump has delivered much needed relief to the coal industry. The President and Congress have been particularly effective at rolling back policies proposed at the end of the previous Administration. Half-way through this first year, a […]
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by Michael W. Patten The Arizona Corporation Commission is addressing new policies that could affect a variety of regulated utilities in Arizona in the near future. The policies are intended to provide guidance on issues that are often points of contention in proceedings at the Commission. The Commission has opened three separate dockets and has […]
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by Raymond S. Heyman It has almost been six months since the Trump administration came into power. At that time, energy and environmental stakeholders were either celebrating the advent of a period of progressive reform or lamenting the end of conscientious conservation and stewardship. A review of the impact of what the Trump administration has […]
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by Patrick J. Paul On June 27, EPA administrator Scott Pruitt along with the assistant secretary of the Army for civil works signed a proposed rule to rescind the Obama administration “waters of the United States” or “WOTUS” rule. The proposed rule to rescind is consistent with President Trump’s Executive Order signed on February 28, […]
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by Mitch Klein United States EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has hired Henry Darwin to serve the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as its Chief of Operations. Under both Republican and Democrat administrations, as the Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Darwin has proven his abilities to streamline government bureaucracy. He is a perfect selection […]
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